IAAF extends invitations to four additional USATF throwers for 2017 IAAF World Championships

7/27/2017

INDIANAPOLIS -- The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) has extended World Championships invitations to Olympic hammer throwers Kibwé Johnson and Rudy Winkler, as well as Team USATF rising stars Alex Young in the men’s hammer throw and Ariana Ince in the women’s javelin throw. All athletes have accepted and will compete in London early next month.

Johnson, who with the invitation has made his fourth IAAF World Championships team, is a two-time Olympian with a season’s best of 74.32m/243-10. Johnson is a two-time Pan American Games gold medalist and five-time USATF champion.

The 2016 Olympic Trials gold medalist in the men’s hammer throw, Winkler won the 2017 NCAA Outdoor Championships crown to become Cornell’s first NCAA throws champion. The 2016 and 2017 USTFCCCA Northeast Regional Men's Field Athlete of the Year, Winkler is a three-time First Team All-American and competed for Team USA at the 2016 Rio Olympics, where he finished 18th.

Young is a two-time USATF Champion in 2017, winning the men’s weight throw and men’s hammer throw at the USATF Indoor and Outdoor Championships this year. Young recently finished his collegiate eligibility at Southeastern Louisiana University and his personal best of 73.75m/241-11 came from USATF Outdoors in Sacramento this year.

Ince was the runner-up at the 2017 USATF Outdoor Championships and finished eighth at the 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials in the women’s javelin. Ince is now a volunteer assistant coach at her alma mater, Rice University, and holds a personal best of 61.38m/201-4 from earlier this month.

Team USATF opens up competition on August 4 at Olympic Stadium in London. Fans can follow along with #TeamUSATF at #London2017 on Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat and Facebook.